François Hollande: Reversing Brexit would be a threat to Europe

Britain's door to the EU is now "closed" and attempting to reverse course on Brexit would threaten the future of Europe, former French President François Hollande warned.

Prolonging the discussion about whether the U.K. ought to change tack would "prevent the EU from moving forward" and allow "doubt to set in about the irrevocable nature of Brexit," Hollande told the Daily Telegraph in an interview published late Wednesday.

“It’s shut," Hollande said of the door to Europe. "The vote has taken place and nobody can question it.”

The former president denied there is any "spirit of revenge" in the EU's dealings with the U.K., but said: “One cannot open a negotiation thinking that there is any way out other than leaving."

On the U.K.'s future relationship with the EU, Hollande said either it would have to abide by the EU's rules to remain in the single market, or seek a trade deal.

“Will Britain remain in the common market? In that case, it must respect free movement, a principle a majority of British have refused," he said. "Or will there be a [free] trade deal? But there will be nothing in between.”